Rutgers to break ground on $115M science building

Rutgers University and New Jersey officials will break ground Monday, June 16, for the Chemistry and Chemical Biology building, a new academic research facility on the school's Busch Campus in Piscataway.

The new 145,000-square-foot, $115 million facility will be largely funded by the 2012 Building Our Future Bond Act. It will act as a teaching, laboratory and support space to help Rutgers further its research in drug design, alternative energy, biomaterials and nanotechnology.

Rutgers ranks first among universities in the U.S. that use federal funding for chemistry research, a statement released by the school said.

Gov. Chris Christie will be in attendance, as well as Rochelle Hendricks, secretary of higher education; Rutgers President Robert Barchi; Richard Edwards, chancellor, Rutgers-New Brunswick and executive vice president for academic affairs; and Richard S. Falk, acting executive dean, School of Arts and Sciences.

The groundbreaking ceremony starts at 10 a.m. at the Wright-Rieman Laboratories located at 610 Taylor Road. Parking is available in Lot 54.